Tardy
by La Nanita
Summary: Ron awoke to Harry desperately shaking his shoulder. “Huh?” he asked, “Wuzzgoinon?” Harry was trying to knot his tie and pull on his pants at the same time and promptly fell over. We're running a little late.... Oneshot. Read and Review!


**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter is the property of JK Rowling and Warner Bros.

**Author's Note: **Short and sweet oneshot. Read and Review!

_**Tardy**_

"Late again Mr. Weasley," came the greasy voice of Professor Severus Snape. "Ten points from Gryffindor, and if it happens again, I will personally reach down your throat, pull out your liver, and feed it to you." Snape paused, considering, and added, "Or assign detention."

After Snape turned back to the blackboard, Ron sighed and made his way to his seat between Harry and Hermione.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" Ron asked Harry angrily.

"Aw, I didn't have the heart to wake you." Harry said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "You looked so peaceful sleeping."

Ron shoved Harry's shoulder saying, "I'm serious mate, I'm already behind on homework; I can't survive another detention!"

"You can't survive eating your own liver either," Hermione pointed out.

"Well aren't _you_ just a ray of sunshine." Ron deadpanned before turning back to Harry. "Mate…"

"Fine, Ron! I'll wake you up tomorrow. Blimey!"

Hermione laughed, "So who's going to wake _you _up, Harry?"

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Ron awoke the next morning to Harry viciously shaking his shoulder. "Huh?" he asked, "Wuzzgoinon?" (Ron was never very articulate in the mornings.) Harry was already trying to knot his tie and pull on his pants at the same time and promptly fell over when he tried to gesture at the deserted dormitory. (Harry was never very coordinated in the mornings.)

"We're running just a little bit late." Harry said from the floor.

Ron shot out of bed. "What time is it?" he asked, running a hand through his hair as he crossed the dorm to the bathroom. "Quarter to eight." Harry said. Ron and Harry paused to share a grim look.

Potions started at exactly eight o' clock.

Ron and Harry sprung into action; Ron hurriedly washing his face and brushing his teeth, and Harry throwing on his robes and pulling on his socks and shoes. Five minutes later Harry and Ron were grabbing their backpacks and running out the dorm door.

They raced down the stairs and into the Common Room where a few lucky seventh years were enjoying a free period. They rocketed past these students and through the portrait hole. Down the hall they ran, weaving through students as they went. When they reached the Great Hall, Ron stopped, hoping they might grab a bite of breakfast. But as they stood in the doorway watching classmates tuck in, Harry looked pointedly at his watch. They only had five minutes left to get to Potions. Ron looked wistfully over his shoulder at the students eating breakfast before following Harry toward the dungeons.

After taking a few of their shortcuts, the Potions classroom was in sight, and not a moment too soon. According to Harry's watch, they had about two munites until class started. Harry and Ron were racing down the last flight of stairs, Harry in the lead, when the stairs started to move. Staircases at Hogwarts did that sometimes.

Harry was close enough to the bottom to leap to the other side, but Ron couldn't make it. He looked on sadly as the staircase slowly took him in the direction opposite of where he needed to go. To his chagrin, Harry gave a mock salute, as if seeing off a soldier who has died in the field, before strolling happily in the other direction. Ron shook his head in disbelief, after all that, Harry was on time, and he would be late. Again. _Sometimes,_ Ron thought shaking his head_, life isn't fair_. And life wouldn't be fair for Harry when Ron got his hands on him…

The staircase finally came to rest at a landing closer to the Potions dungeon than Ron had dared hope. But how much time did he have? A minute? Less?

Ron looked around desperately, he needed a miracle. Just then, a miracle appeared: in the form of a door. The outline could barely be seen, but it was definitely there. Ron pushed against it and unbelievably, it opened! Instinctively, he followed the small path on the other side at a sprint. Quite suddenly, the path dead-ended at a solid stone wall. From the other side of the wall, Ron heard the Late Bell ring. He began frantically pounding on the wall. The Potions classroom was just on the other side, and he was so close….

It seemed someone was watching out for Ron, because just as the Late Bell's echoes began fading away, someone opened the door. It was Snape, but not even that could put a damper on Ron's mood. _He made it!_

Looking around, he realized that he had come out in the Potions Students' Store Room. _Interesting shortcut_, Ron thought. _Gotta__ tell Harry about this one_Snape meanwhile was goggling down at Ron. He slowly regained his composure saying, "Mr. Weasley. Right on time I see." Ron grinned. "And I'm sure you completed you're Antidote Essay." Snape added. Ron's face fell. He thought, _You__ have got to be kidding me…How did I forget?_

"I'll take your stunned silence as a 'no'." Snape said. "Ten points from Gryffindor for coming to class unprepared and you'll serve a detention tonight with Mr. Filch.

As Ron slowly made his way to his seat, Snape said, "It would almost have been better to come late."

**-End-**

**Author's Note: **Review and tell me what you think! Feedback is very much appreciated!


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